How To Reduce Arm Fat By Spending More Time In Bed, Part 1

From the regulation of “hunger hormones” to the acceleration of recovery, sleep cannot be ignored if you’re serious about learning how to get toned arms.

Yet as a society, we have continually undervalued sleep and we’re paying the price. Even worse, some social circles view sleep deprivation (and working to death) as a badge of honor.

Are you getting enough sleep every night?

If not, here are some techniques that I have picked up over the years:

1. Phototherapy. Aptly named because you shine a very bright light in your face upon waking. How does it work? The bright light hits photoreceptors in your eyes which leaves you more alert during the day and more sleepy at night. You will need at least 30 minutes of light and for maximum effect use a SAD “light box”.

2. Chronotherapy. This technique is most effective for women that have longer circadian rhythms. If you find yourself struggling to wake up earlier and constantly going to sleep later, then your circadian rhythm is probably longer than average. If you’re stuck in this limbo you should rotate forward.

In other words, instead of trying to wake up early and going to sleep early (against your natural rhythm), let your longer rhythm take over and keep on going to sleep later and later until you hit the mark. On average, you can sleep 3 hours later per day with this technique. The trick is to find a couple “free” weeks while you rotate. Holidays work best here.

And once you hit the mark, don’t deviate or else you will have to start all over again.

3. Temperature manipulation. A lower body temperature at night translates into deeper and more restful sleep. There are two ways to accomplish this:

a. Raise your temperature during the day. If you exert yourself during the day, your temperature will fall much harder at night. It’s your body’s way of compensating.

b. Artificially lower your temperature at night. The easiest way to do this is with an automatic air conditioning unit. Just make sure you don’t overdo it since extremely low temperatures can jolt you awake. One more thing: stay away from swamp coolers—they are too unreliable.

4. Mental exertion. Your brain burns ATP when you use it. And more burned ATP translates into better sleep. So seek out activities that truly challenge your intellect. The key here is to not stagnate.

5. Fiction. It’s impossible for your mind to ruminate on the stresses of life while processing incoming information. I recommend a fictional book or TV show 1 hour before bed to force your mind into shutting down for the night. Stay away from dense or complex books as they can increase arousal.

There is no honor in subjecting yourself to a sleep-deprived zombie-like state day in and day out. And trying to get rid of flabby arms without adequate sleep is like pushing a massive boulder up a steep hill. So please start following these tips today so that you can get some sleep tonight!